BONTANG – Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program of PT Pupuk Kaltim (PKT) Bontang continues to be held as a form of corporate responsibility towards the society and environment. One of the programs is the Blue Vision. It is a program that shows PKT awareness toward coastal and marine areas in Bontang. The first activity of the program conducted in 2013 was coastal cleanup day in Tanjung Limau, North Bontang on Thursday (7/3).

The action began approximately at 08.00 a.m. and included 100 elementary students from SD (Elementary School) 006 Tanjung Limau, which is located near the coastal environment. They consisted of grade 5 and 6 elementary students. The theme of the activity was "Creating Clean and Sustainable Marine and Coastal Area".

A total of 100 students accompanied by teachers and PKT Bontang staffs went to the island by using a long-tail boat.

Upon arrival at one of the small islands located in Tanjung Limau, the students that were divided into 10 groups began picking up each plastic waste and put them in a large plastic bag. All students were happily picking up so many trashes although they were tired. About two hours later, the plastic bags had been filled up with plastic waste.

The plastic wastes were then weighed one by one. Unexpectedly, the overall weight of the garbage bags was more than 1 ton. The waste was then brought to the final processing waste area (Tempat Pemrosesan Akhir/TPA) Bontang Lestari.

Environmental Manager PKT Bontang Sri Juwani Ekowati said, the purpose of involving elementary students in this activity was to instill awareness toward the environment since early age, especially the marine environment. Considering that 75 percent of Bontang consists of coastal and waters area.

"It aims to arouse the concern to take care of the environment in order to prevent damage," said PKT Bontang Environment Manager Sri Juwani Ekowati.

Sri Juwani said that clean condition of the beach and ocean are so important. Because, the garbage around the coastal areas may contaminate the sea which is the habitat for many species of marine potentials such as fish. If the fish are contaminated, it could be dangerous for people who consume them.

"Instead of being healthy, we will become ill due to the consumption of fish contaminated by hazardous substances that caused by the garbage. Especially for children who require the consumption of fish for their brain growth to be brilliant. Such concerns need to be fostered early that childhood experiences such as these can continue to be remembered into adulthood, "she explained. (Luk/adm)